The Living Art of Bonsai

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1 Name: The Living Art of Bonsai Bonsai has been practiced for centuries in cultures all across the world. Today you will learn about artistic principles and elements that all bonsai artists use to create works of living art. STYLE: Bonsai can be categorized by the trunk orientation of the tree. The trunk forms the line of the tree and guides your eye around the piece. For every bonsai you see today make a mark under the style it represents. Formal Upright A single trunk that rises in a straight line. Informal Upright A single curved trunk with crown and base of tree aligned. Slanting A straight or curved trunk, grown on a slant, with the top well to one side of the base. Semi-Cascade A straight or curved trunk extending out and sometimes down. Cascade Most of the trunk drops below the soil line and may be below the bottom of the pot. Group Planting A grove or forest of trees in a shallow pot. Illustrations by Ikune Sawada SPECIES: Any plant with a woody trunk can become a bonsai, yet certain species are prefered over others. For the species listed below, do you notice any patterns or trends in the styles used? Do trees from the same species look the same or different? Patterns among trees? If so, what are the patterns? Other observations? Junipers Pines Maples Yews

2 SHAPE: Bonsai combine geometric and organic shapes. Pick a bonsai and describe its overall shape in geometric terms and draw it below. Now look at an element of the tree - leaves, bark, etc. Can you find geometric shapes within the organic forms? Draw it below. Full Bonsai Close-up Detail TEXTURE: Bonsai artists use texture to convey emotions and to help set the scene. They can use both the texture of the tree and the texture of the pot. Find two trees and explore the textures. Example 1 Tree Species: Texture of Bark: Texture of Leaves: Texture of Pot: Based on the texture, where do you think this tree would grow? How do the textures work together to create a feeling? Example 2 Tree Species: Texture of Bark: Texture of Leaves: Texture of Pot: Based on the texture, where do you think this tree would grow? How do the textures work together to create a feeling?

3 COLOR: Colors can convey strong emotions and trigger different feelings. Bonsai themselves are bound by the colors of nature, but bonsai artists can play with color through the pots they choose. Find five different colored pots and discuss how it affects the mood of the bonsai. Is that pot complimentary or contrasting to the tree? Brown Grey Red Blue Tan SPACE: Negative space is a key component of bonsai, as it creates a feeling of age something that is highly valued in bonsai. As trees age in nature they lose branches, creating more negative space. A bonsai artist will recreate this in their work in order to create a feeling of age, even if the tree is not that old. Compare and contrast two bonsai one that has little negative space and one that has lots of negative space. Draw the two trees below and describe what age you think they are. Bonsai 1 Bonsai 2

4 ART COMPARISONS: Artists across all disciplines can use the the same principles and elements of design. Compare famous artworks to specific trees in the collection. What about the drawing/ painting/sculpture and the bonsai are similar? What emotions do they both convey? Examples of the artwork can be found in the Pavilion. The Thinker by Auguste Rodin Medium: Bronze sculpture The Scream by Edvard Munch Medium: Oil, tempera, pastel and crayon on cardboard L Étoile (The Star) by Edgar Degas Medium: Pastel on paper Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps by Kehinde Wiley Medium: Oil on canvas

5 CREATIVE PROCESS: As you tour the museum, keep track of all the ways you can see that the artists have manipulated the parts of the bonsai tree. Write or draw what you find below. REFLECTING NATURE: Look at the full-size trees surrounding the Museum. Do you see similarities between the bonsai and the trees in the forest? Draw the tree in the forest. Draw the bonsai. Describe the trees and what they have in common.

6 RESPONSE: Choose your favorite bonsai and draw it. What feelings does this piece bring out in you? Favorite Bonsai What story is the scene of your bonsai telling? What changes would you make to the bonsai to change the feeling of it? PERSONAL REFLECTION: Draw and/or write about what you learned about the art of bonsai and your trip to Pacific Bonsai Museum. ART CREATION: Go to the Art Station in the Pavilion. Follow the instructions provided to create your own bonsai inspired art piece and take home your own living bonsai!